Electric controller.



A. O. EASTWOOD.

ELECTRIC OONTROLLBR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1911.

1,014,625. Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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FIG. 1

WITNESSES A. c. EASTWOOD. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.7, 1911.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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wmlism r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC CON- NEON OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Original application tiled September 22, 1910, Serial No. 583,301. Divided and this application filed January To all whom it may concern.

Be'it known that I, ARTHUR C. Essrwoon,

"a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the countyof Cuyahoga and' electric controllers in which the various con-- nections for controlling the speed of the motor are efi'ected by individual magnetically-operated switches.

One of the objects of my'invention is to obviate the necessity of winding the coils of the switch-operating magnets with such fine wire as has been the practice.

Another object is to provide means for electrically interlocking the switches which control the speed of the motor without the use of the usual auxiliary contacts.

Other {objects are to simplify and cheapen atly'the construction of the type of controller to which it relates; to render the connections and operation of the controller more readily understood by those entrusted with its care, and to make it much more reliable and satisfactory in service.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views, showing two of the many forms which my invention may assume.

Referring now to F ig. 1, S is the main switch for connecting the motor and controller to the two sides of a supply circuit; A is the armature of the motor; and f is the shunt-field winding which is connected across the positive and negative sides of the switch S; R, R R and R are sections of resistance connected in multiple for controlling the flow of current to the motor. The sections R to R of resistance are controlled, respectively, by the switches S, S S and S, these switches having the operat ing or closing windings C, C C and C, respectively, and the locking-out windings w, 10, w, and w, respectively. I have also shown associated'with the operating Windings of'the switches shunts designated, respectively, as p, 77", p", and p.

O is an acceleration relay which governs the time, of closure of the successive switches. It will be seen that the locking out coils w, w", w, and w are connected in series, the circuit of this series passing through the Serial No; 601,334.

contacts of the acceleration relay 0. The relay is so adjusted that when a predetermined current passes through its winding which is in the motor circuit, it will raise its plunger so that its contact member 0 will span the contacts 0 and 0 thus closing the circuit through the locking-out coils 'w to w. the motor is below the value for which the relay is adjusted, the locking-out coils will not be energized, and the switches will be free to close consecutively. If, however, during the process of starting the motor, the

Consequently, if the current taken by i motor current exceeds the predetermined value, the locking-out coils will be ener-- gized, when the relay lifts its plunger, and further progressive closure of the switches will be arrested.

Assuming that the switch S is closed a circuit is made from the positive side of the switch S through the wire 1, the shunt-field winding f, and the wire 2 to the negative side of the switch S, thus energizing the shunt field. At the same time a second circuit is established from the positive side of the switch S through the winding of the relay O, the wire 3, the operating winding C of the switch S, the resistance section B, the wire 4:, the armature A, and the wire 2 to the negative side of the switch S. The circuit of the motor is complete with the resistance section R in series therewith, and the operating winding G of the resistance switch S is also in series with this circuit which may be designated as the controlled circuit.. This circuit tends to cause the switch S" to close, and it will close providing the current is not excessive. When switch S closes, a branch circuit is established from the positive side of the switch S through the winding of the relay 0, the wire 3, the contacts of the switch S, and the winding C of the switch S the resistance section R the wire 4, the armature A,and the wire 2 to the negative side of the switch S, which branch circuit places the resistance R in parallel with the resistance R, thet'wo re sistances in parallel being in series with the armature A. If the current is excessive, that is, above a predetermined value, the relay 0 raises its plunger, closing the circuit of the locking-out coils, so that, notwithstanding the fact that the winding C of the R R and R in parallel.

. S immediately closes.

close. When the current of the motor drops to the said predetermined value the relay drops its lunger, causing the lOCklIlg-Pllt coils to be eenergized, whereupon the switch The switch S in closing closes a circuit from the wire 5, through the wire 6, the operating winding 0 of the switch S and the resistance section R The resistances R, R and R are connected in parallel,the three resistances in parallel being in series with the armature A. In case the motor current is above a predetermined value, the relay 0 closes its con tacts, causing the locking coils to. be energized, and the switch S to remain open," as will be readily understood from the description herein relative to the action of the relay in connection with the locking coils and the switch S When the motor current again drops to the said predetermined value, the switch S closes and inclosing closes a circuit from the wire 5, through the wire 7, the contacts of the switch S the o crating winding C of the switch S and the resistance section B to the wire 4, thus placing the resistance sections B, This leaves the operating winding C of the. switch S energized. In case the motor current is. above a predetermined value, the relay 0 operates, as already described, to close the circuit of the locking coils and prevent the closing of the switch S When the motor current falls to the predetermined value the switch S closes, thus creating another circuit from the wire 5 directly through the contacts of the switch S, the maintaining winding C, and the wire 9 to the armature A of the motor, which circuitshort-circuits all of the resistance, and permits the motor to operate at full speed. Since the path from the wire 5 through the contacts of the switch S its maintaining winding G, and the wire 9 is of very low resistance, practically no current passes through the resistance sections R, R R and R and the switch-operating windings C, C and C associated therewith, and therefore, these switches open and the circuit through the motor is then maintained entirely through the switch S When it is desired to stop the motor, the main circuit is opened at the switch S, which, of course, denergizes the winding C of the switch S, causing this switch to open. I have shown in this figure the shunts p, 79

and 0* associated with the windings C, C C and G, respectively, the purpose of these shunts being to ada ta given standard operating winding for use with motors varying in their ampere capacity, the variation in capacity being taken care of by the reslstance of the shunt. Assuming, for instance, that the various operating coils C to C are wound for a capacity of 20 amperes,

the can be used without shunts on a motor which requires 20 amperes of current. The

same coils, however, can be applied to a motor having a capacity of 40 amperes by making the resistance of the shunts such that one-half of the motor current will pass through theoperating winding.

I have shown the switch S provided with two windings marked C and C" respec tively. The winding O is energized by closure of the switch S and may be termed the operating winding. ,The winding C is energized through the closure of'the switch S and may be termed a maintaining winding. These two windings have been introduced for the reason that, if the winding C were not provided, and the stationary terminal of the switch S were connected directly to the wire 9 and to the armature, the winding C would be short-circuited when the switch closes, which would tend to cause the switch S? to immediatelyopen.

Referring now to .Fig. 2, S is a main A the motor is started.

I) and U constitute reversing switches,

operated, respectively, by electro -magnets having windings J and u. The reversing switch D is operated to give one direction of rotation of the armature of the motor,

sistances shown in Fig. 1 in that the sections" of resistance are connected in series when and the reversing switch. U is operatedto give the reverse motion in the well known manner.

I have shown a relay 0 responsive'to motor current for governing the circuitbf the locking-out windings w, .0 w and tof, as in Fig. 1. f

M is a master switch which may be used for starting, stopping, and reversing the motor.

Assuming that the barrel of the master controller is moved toward the left so as to bring the contact fingers d and a into contact with the respective segments a and e, a circuit will then be established as follows: from the positive side of the switch S to the wire 14, the contact finger n, the contact strips 6* and e the contact finger (Z', the winding (Z of the reversing switch D, the wire 15, the contacts 0 0 and 0" of the acceleration-relay O, and the wire 16 to the negative side of the switch S. This completes the circuit through the winding 03, which causes the switch D to lift its plunger, i

which in turn completes the main motorcircuit as follows: from the ositive side of the switch S through the wire 17, the wire 18, the lower contacts of the reversing switch D, the wire 19, the armature A, the

wire 20, the upper contacts of the reversing switch D, the winding of the relay 0, the

wire'21, the winding 0 of the switch S, the resistance sections R, R and R the wire 22, and the series field ,F to the negative side of the switch S, thus completing the circuit through the motor. The switch S, when it closes, closes a circuit through the operating winding C of the switch S which in turn closes a circuit through the winding C of the switch.S. while the'switch S in closing closes a circuitthro'ugh the winding C of the switch S.

If an excessive motor current does not flow when the reversing switch D closes, the relay 0 will rest on its contacts, and all the locking coils w, w wt, and w are short-' circuited. If, however, an excessive current should fiow through the motor, the relay would raise its contacts and all of the locking coils would then be energized through the following circuit; from the positive side of the switch S, through the wire 14, the contact finger n of the master switch, the contact finger (Z, the winding d of the reversing switch D, the wire 15, the windings "w, 'w 10 and w in series, the wire 23, and

the wire 16 to the negative side of the switch S. The closure of the switch S is prevented until the motor current has been reduced by the speeding up of the motor, at which time the relay 0 will drop its plunger, thus short-circuiting the locking windings, and permitting the switch S to close. If the closure of this switch produces an excessive current the plunger of the relay will then rise, againenergizing the locking windings and preventing closure of the switch S The closure of the switches S and S is governed in a similar manner.

When it is desired to stop the motor, thev master switch is moved to the off position, which deiinerglzes the winding (Z of the reversing switch D, causing the same to open,

and thus open the circuit through the motor and through the operating winding C of the switch S, which causes the switch S also to open.

WVhen it is desired to start the motor in the reverse direction, the master switch is moved to the right, bringing the contact fingers n and a into contact with the corresponding strips 6 and 6 This closes a circuit which energizes the winding u, causing the revcrsingswitch U to close. This reversing switch is so connected as to reverse the direction of current flow through the armature of the motor, causing the armature to reverse its direction of rotation in the well known and obvious way. The

a portion of the motor current, and these switches may readily be so proportioned that they will remain closed until the current through their windings has been re duced to almost zero.

In ordinary operation the opening of the motor circuitin the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 takes place at the contacts of the switch S, while in Fig. 2- the circuitis normally opened at the contacts of one or the other of the reversing switches D or U. It is evident, therefore, that substantially all of the arcing which takes place in the operation of these controllersoccurs at the contacts of the switches at which the circuit of the motor is normally opened and that underno conditions will therebe any arcing of a serious nature at the contacts of the resistance controlling switches. addition to the elimination of auxiliary circuit contacts in connection with the several resistance switches, my invention also provides means whereby the necessity of blowout magnets and elaborate arc-breaking arrangements is obviated in connection with the resistance switches;

This application is a division of my application Serial Number 583,301 filed Septemher 22, 1910.

I claim 1. In an electric controller, a series of magnetically-operated switches, each of said switches having its operating winding arranged to be included in the controlled circuit by the closing of a preceding switch, a locking winding arranged to prevent the closing of each of the said switches, and a relay responsive to the current in the controlled circuit for controlling said locking windings.

2. In an electric controller, a series of electro-magnetically operated switches, successively-energized windings adapted when energized to cause the successive closing of the said switches, a locking winding for each switch, each of. said locking windings adapted when energized to prevent its respective switch from closing, and means re-- Therefore, in-

sponsive to the current in the controlled cir cuit for controlling said locking windings.

3; In a controller for electric motors, a resistance, means for closing the circuit through the said motor and the said resistance, a series of switches for controlling the amount of the said resistance in the motor 4:. In an electric controller, a controlledcircuit, a series of switches arranged to close 1n a predetermined order, each of the said switches having an actuating winding included in the controlled circuit by the closure of the switch which precedes it in operation, the last of the said switches having a maintaining winding included in the controlled circuit by the closure of the said switch.

5. In an electric controller, a controlled circuit,- a series of switches arranged to close in a predetermined order, each of the said switches having an actuating winding included in the controlled circuit by the closure of the preceding switch, the last of the said switches having its contacts connected 'to close a path including a maintaining 5 winding for said last switch, said path short-circuiting or shunting the actuating windings of all of said switches.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 3rd day of January A. D. 1911. I

ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD.

Witnesses:

H. 'M. DIEMER, R. D. VVRIGH'I. 

